Best WBLTs

List of Best WBLTs
Monitor(s): Audrey

Mathematics
Fraction, decimal, percent relationship (Audrey)

• Fractions, decimals, and percents are different methods of showing the same quantity.
• A quantity (example 50 out of 100) can be shown as a fraction, decimal, and percent.
• Fractions (tenths, hundredths), decimal (tenths, hundredths), percent can be observed in three different colours in the area and grid models
• The fraction, decimal and percent can be seen (1) on a single number line and (2) compared to each other (3/10 < 0.4 < 50%)
• The visuals greatly enhance understanding of the three concepts

Distance- and Velocity-Time Graphs (Mike)

• applies to science curriculum as well
• easy to use
• highly interactive; the user can vary many parameters to experiment and test different scenarios
• start-stop and forward-backward animation with real-life view and simultaneous graphs
• reusable and applicable at different stages of the unit
• lesson materials provided

Science

Forest Eco System (Robin)
I really like this WBLT for the following reasons

• It is relevant to the student world (survival of ecosystems)
• It is interactive and allows students to test what-if scenarios
• A demo video is provided to who students and teacher how to use the WBLT
• Lesson materials are provided to help guide WBLT use
• It has a neat graphing feature that allows students to see changes over time
• There is a self-testing feature (although it could be much better)

Conservation of energy (Audrey)

• Students can identify to the skaters because it is a sport they practice too, therefore relevance
• It allows the students to see in different graphs different types of energy, energy v/s position, energy v/s time
• There is a variety of variables (skaters, location, gravity, etc)

Forces in one dimension (Audrey)

• It is relevant (relationship between friction force, applied force and total force)
• There is a variety of variables and their respective weight is provided (file cabinet: 200kg, refrigerator: 400kg, textbook: 10kg, etc.) to test different scenarios
• Relationship between force, acceleration, velocity and position

Growing plants (Audrey)

• It is relevant (relationship between fertilizer/compost, water, light and growth)
• There is a variety of variables (different types of seeds)
• students can reflect on what they observe and construct theories about growing plants.

Greenhouse effect (Naseem)

• Clear instructions on how to use this learning object.
• Excellent interactivity makes students control variables and synchronously see the effect.
• Relevant to one of the hot environmental issues (rise of earth’s temperature).
• Learning objective is made clear.
• Simple and motivational design.
• Combination of animation, still pictures, graphs, table and text making it a powerful WBLT (adding audio would also be much better).

General

Bitstrips for Schools (Colin)
This resources is very useful for some of the following reasons

• Students are able to customize all of their activities. (create themselves as cartoons, upload own photos of scenes and props. This creates relevance right at the start.
• Lots of lessons created and shared by teachers
• Cross-curricular (use in science, math, language, history, you name it)
• Engaging for students (they really like it for the most part)
• ARCS, Social Learning, Experiential Learning, Situated Learning all have bits that work here.

Flip book maker (Elita)

• Users create a book and are able to upload photos, graphics, etc
• Organized well in small steps so it is guided
• Good feeling of accomplishment at the end as you can view the project and even print it out
• ARCS